English gesture - tight upper lip

This gesture is associated with the tension of the upper lip and the rest of the facial muscles so that the face shows as little emotion as possible. It is thanks to him that the British became known as specialists in controlling emotions. When Princes Phillip, Charles, Harry and William followed Diana’s coffin in 1997, each of them could see such an expression, which is why people all over the world decided that the royal family did not have the slightest regret about the death of the princess. .
A special version of this gesture was invented at the time by the English King Henry VIII, who had a very small mouth. When he strained his upper lip, his mouth looked even smaller. The habit of the English monarch led to the fact that a small mouth in the XVI century began to be considered a sign of superiority. The British even today purse their lips, feeling that someone suppresses them or threatens them. Such a gesture is often accompanied by frequent blinking.
Henry VIII made such a gesture a sign of superiority and high status. Modern British and Americans use it widely.